Non-Subscriber Extract
Executive Overview: Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems
By Duncan Lennox
18 December 2008
The overview presents a broad outline of the key events associated with Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems over the last 12 months. US reports state that there were around 100 foreign ballistic missile flight tests in 2007, with the majority tested by China, Iran and the Russian Federation. Most nations announce ballistic missile flight tests, but without giving details about the actual range or payloads. A notable exception is China, which tends to provide no information. In addition, the US stated that 30 nations had deployed operational ballistic missiles, but did not list the nations. Most cruise missile tests went unreported, and it is not possible to give even a rough estimate of the numbers. The US has stopped providing data on foreign missile tests, and so it is not possible to assess the types, ranges or numbers of missiles tested. This is unfortunate, as it prevents a clear understanding of 'the threat' as it is being described by the intelligence communities.
Iran announced the Ashoura ballistic missile, with a range of 2,000 km (November 2007), which Israeli and US reports described as being a two-stage solid propellant Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). Iran was reported to have started building ballistic missile silos near to Tabriz, in the north-western region of the country (February 2008). Iran states that it will install a further 6,000 centrifuges at the Natanz facility, to enrich uranium (March 2008). Iran and Syria sign defence co-ordination agreement, and exchange military officers (June 2008).